Valve structure



l; R. VERSOY VALVE STRUCTURE Jan. 27, 1953 2 SHEETS- SHEET l Filed Nov. 11, 1944 A A 8 W. W d M W M uw W x m n.

M Wk i0 37 33 Jan. 27, 1953 1R. vz-:RsoY 2,626,525

VALVE STRUCTURE Fi1ed Nov. 11, 1944 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 1i 1 I ,aL

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15 Y33L W l" i6 13 40 11,JL 38 24g l\\\\\\\\\\\\m z2 17 s\\\\\\\\\\\\\ )36a www i8 zo Z5 Syvum/VDO@ Patented Jan. 27, 1953 2,6%;625 VALVE STRUCTUREy Irving R. Versoy, New Haven, Conn., assignor to The "Berger Brothers Company, 'New 1 Haven, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut ff Application November 11,1944, Serial No.. l562,945

L 4 Claims.

1 `vThis invention'v relates toa valve structure and more specifically to a valve forcontrolling fluid such as gases, for example.

As .illustrated and described, my invention., is applied to a gravity-operated valve structure for use in controlling the admission of air to suits worn by aviators to prevent the injurious effects resulting to the pilot or passengers from thesudden changes in the-speed anddirection of an airplane. It will be understood, however, that the principles of the invention are n-ot to be limited n to thisuse but maybe employed in other relations. The-'present description-merely serves to illustrate and" disclose one preferred use of the invention.

.Itais-wellknown-that sudden changes in the speed anddirection ofv an airplane, and particularly changes in direction-such asthat which occurs when anairplane is brought out of.,a dive, bring about injuriousfeffects to the pilot or passengers of theiplane, and it has vbeen vproposed ,to.protect such passengers by the use of suits vwornby them, which-will be provided within- -fflatable bladders or the like to which airmay be admitted to exert-pressureupon certain parts. of the body. It is desirable that this pressurebe Yexerted'only when necessary and that thebladdersnormally be in deflated condition. However, as it would be inconvenient for the pilot of a Aplana-for example, to attend to the inflation and deflationv of such bladders at the proper time, itis -desirable thatthis be taken lcare offautomatically.

Thel present invention pertainsto a valve'structure to accomplish-automatically the inflation and .deflation of anaviators suit froma source of :compressed air, for-example, the arrangement being such thatdue to` an increaseY in centrifugal fforce or vanA increase of-the forceexertedbygrav- ,ity-'the Vsupplyoi" compressed air willbe admittedto the aviators suit withoutany attention yon the part of the-.aviator himself. Also, provision `is made for the venting of the suitwhen the need 1 for A.theinationthereof is. no longer present.

One objectofmyinvention isl to provide avalve structurefor controlling :the .passage of a fluid therethrough'ofsuch characterthat the valveor valves controlling such passage may be actuated by. centrifugal force.

A ,still further object 1 of my inventionis Yto ',providea valvestructure of the `character described, suchthat the controlling valve-or valves will be responsive` to an increase inthe pull or {forced-gravity; responsive in turr to centrifugal "force whereby'l thelvalveor valves will be auto- .matically moved? from "open tov closed position. or "vice-versa dependingzupon the centrifugalforce '-to whiclfi'thek structure :is subj ccted.

,A still further object of my inventionisto provide a valve structure of the character described,

the controlling valve or valves being arranged-to stand normally ina given position, butwh'cha're adapted to be-moved from this'posi'tionby the action of centrifugal force.

Still another object of'the invention is to-provide a valve structure designed to control theadmission `of fluid pressure Ysuch as compressed air, for example, to an aviators ysuit or the like, the control being effected automatically to bring about the inflation ofthe suit when desired,and also to control thedegree of ination of the suit or the degree of pressure of the air admitted to the suit.

To these and other ends the' inventionrelates to thenovel Afeatures andk combinations of ,parts to be hereinafter described'and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional View of a valve. structure embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing certain of the .valves in a' different position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Eig.1 of a modified form of my invention; and

Fig. 4 is a kview similar to Fig. 3 showing the valves in another position.

In Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, I havedisclosed, as an illustration of a preferred embodiment of my invention, ka valve casing designated generally by the numerall, the casing being provided with chambers II and l2. Above these chambers are partitions I3 and I4 upon which are supported sealing caps I54 and'l.

Thechamber .I I isseparated by a'partition I1 from a lower chamber I8, the partition Il having provided therein a port I9 providing communica- '.tion between .the .chambers II .and I8.

A- second portfflr is provided atthe' lower por- `tic-n of the. chamber I8, this port as shownV being in alignment with the port I9, and from the port 26 leads a pipeor duct 2l. This pipe mayllead to any place where it is. desired to. convey fluid pressure, or may` lead directly to the atmosphere if itis merely desired to vent the chamber I8. However, in the form vof my invention shown, V.it -Willbeassumedgthat rthe duct 2| g1eadsztojthe :gas tank -of an airplane, for example, gtopressurizelorput under pressure the gas inthe tank.

Inlet meansv theformof a pipe 2 2;are provided for the chamber*- IS, git being understood that fluid such as air;for:exampleffunderrpressurewill be admittedtothe chamber` I8 through suchinlet. 'The ports; I9-V and .329., constitutefthe `outlets for ,the chamber I8, `these-,puprts being controlled, respectively, `by Valves '.24 and ...25 The valve 25 is secured to the lower end cf a i--stern 125, rwhile-,the valve 24 is, slidably 1mounted thereof.

upon this stem and is urged toward the port I9 or away from the valve 25 by a spring 21 acting at its upper end against the valve 24 and at its lower end against the valve 25. It will be seen, therefore, that the spring 21 normally tends to hold the valve 24 against its seat in the partition I'I closing the port I9.

An abutment in the form of a pin 2S is secured to the stem 25 above the valve 24, which abutment is adapted to pass through the port I3 and engage the valve 24 when the stem is moved downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1, and move this valve from its seat to open the port I9, as shown in Fig. 2.

The valve stem 26 also extends upwardly through the partition I3 into the cap I5, and its upper end is screw-threaded, as shown at 30. A weight 3| secured to a sleeve 32 is adjustably mounted on the stem 26 by means of the sleeve 32 being threadingly engaged with the threads 3|! of the valve stem. Acting between the weight 3| and the Ypartition I3 is a compression spring 33 normally urging the valve Vstem 26 upwardly as shown in the drawings, so

as lto maintain the valve 25 away from its seat in the lower end of the chamber I3, and theref ore maintain the port 2l! in open position. The tensionof this spring may be adjusted by adjustment of the weight 3| on the threaded end of the stem. A stop screw 35 may be adjustably mounted at theupper end of the cap I'to serve as'an abutment or' stop for the upper end of the valve stern to limit the upper movement The chamber I I is provided with an outlet port 3B, which, in the'form of my invention illustrated, leads into the chamber I2, the latter being provided with outlet ports 3l and an outlet pipe 33.

It may be assumed that the outlet port 3l leads to the atmosphere so as to serve as a vent port, while the outlet port 38 will lead to the bladders or inilatable members in the aviators suit. The valve port 31 may be controlled by a valve 39 formed at the lower end of a valve stem 4G extending upwardly through the partition I4 and Vheld in adjusted position by an adjusting screw vmally, however, it will only be necessary to use a part of the compressed air admitted to the chamber I2 for the ination of the aviators suit, so that the valve 39 will normally stand in a partially open position and, in such position, will vent the air from the aviators suit as soon as the admission of compressed air into the chamber I2 through the port 3B has ceased.

The operation of this form of my invention is as follows: It will be assumed that compressed air is admitted to the chamber I8 through the tube 22, which is in communication with a source of air under pressure. The valve stem 2S will normally stand in the position shown in Fig. 1, the tension of the spring 33 being just suiiicient to overcome the force of gravity upon the weight 3|, so that the valve port I9 will be closed and vented' to the atmosphere.

.4 the action of centrifugal force, as it will be, for example, when an aviator brings his plane out of a dive, the eiect of this force on the weight 3| will cause the valve stern 26 to move downwardly, carrying with it the Valve 25. When the valve 25 reaches a position adjacent its seat on the port 20 and restricts the effective opening of this port, the action of the compressed air above and around this valve will cause it to snap downwardly upon its seat with a snap action to fully closed position. At this time the abutment 29 will engage the 4upper surface of valve 24 and move it downwardly to open position against the action of the spring 21. There is in effect, a lostmotion connection between the valves 24 and 25, so that the former will not be moved from its seat until the latter is nearly closed and, likewise, upon reverse movement, permit a movement of valve 25 to a more fully opened position after valve 24 has been seated.

When the parts have been moved as described to theposition shown in Fig. 2 by the action of centrifugal force, in which position the port 20 is closed and the port I9 is opened, the com pressed air will pass into the chamber II and out through the port 3S into the chamber I2 and through the pipe 38 to the suit of the aviator. If the valve Si! is in partially opened position, as it probably will be, a part of the air will be The suit or the bladders contained within the suit will then be properly and automatically inflated under the control of centrifugal force.

When the pull upon the weight 3| due to centrifugal force has ceased, as it will when normal flying is resumed, the spring 33 will move the valve stem upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1, thus restoring the parts to their normal positions. The air in the chambers II and I2 and in the aviators suit will now be ventedor exhausted through the port 3l, so that no pressure will remain in the suit, it being assumed that valve 39 stands in partially open position. As the valve 24 is now closed, the compressed air admitted to the chamber I8 will pass through the port 2G to again pressurize the gas tank. Y

In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings I have shown a slightly modified form of my invention in which the valve '24a is mounted above the port I9 in the partition I'I and is held against its seat by a compression spring 2'Ia acting at its lower end against the valve and at its upper end against the partition I3. A valve 25@L controls the port 2|) which, in hisY instance, may be assumed to Vlead directly to the atmosphere so as to vent the chamber I8. The stem 26@L extends snugly but slidably through the valve 24a and is urged by the spring 33a in a direction to move the valve 25a away from its seat. The spring 33a acts at its upper end against anV abutment 33ID secured adjustably to the upper end of thestem 25a. It will be understood that the remaining parts of the modification of my invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4 are the same as the correspondingly numbered parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be apparent that in this form of my invention the valve 24a is not positively actuated but operates in the manner of a pressure relief valve in that it is urged against its seat by the spring 2la and is opened when the pressure in the chamber I8 overcomes the tension of the spring. It will be also understood that the port 20 in this form of my invention is larger than the effective area of the pipe 22, so that under normal conditions, the air under pressure entering through pipe 22 will be vented through the port 29 so that no pressure will be built up in chamber I8 to tend to open the valve I9.

The operation of my device is as follows: With the parts in position shown in Fig. 3, it will be understood that the pipe 22 is in communication with a source of fluid pressure such as air under pressure, for example, and that this air will be vented from the chamber I3 through the port 29 and will be prevented by the valve 24a controlling the port I9 from passing into the chamber I2 and thus to the aviators suit. However, when the structure is subjected to the action of centrifugal force, the effect of this force on the weight of the valve stem 2BEL and associated parts will serve to close the valve 25a upon the port '29, thus subjecting the valve 24a to the pressure of the air admitted to chamber I8. The pressure of this air behind or below the valve 24a will cause the latter to be opened against the pressure of the spring 21a, thus admitting compressed air to the chamber I2 and thence to the aviators suit through the pipe 38, the valve 39 acting as before to exhaust or vent a part of this air to the atmosphere, assuming that the valve 39 is in partiallyf opened position.

When, however, the action of centrifugal force has ceased, the spring 33al will again lift the Y valve 25EL from its seat and thus vent chamber I8 to the atmosphere and permit the spring '2Ia to again seat the valve 24a, thus cutting off communication between the chambers IB and II and cutting olf delivery of any further air pressure to the aviators suit. The air in the suit will now be exhausted or vented through the port 3`I around the valve 39, as previously described in the modification of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be obvious that in both forms of my invention, I have provided a controlling valve responsive to the action of centrifugal force which will automatically control the admission of iiuid pressure to a point of delivery such, for example, as an aviators suit, and also to a second point of delivery such, for example, as the gas tank of an airplane when it is desired to place such tank under pressure. While I have shown and described some preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. Means for inating the bladder of an aviators suit, or the like, comprising a valve casing having a chamber provided with an inlet port and a pair of aligned outlet ports, a valve stem sldably mounted in the casing and extending into the chamber through one of said ports, a valve carried by said stem to control the other of said ports, a second valve sldably mounted on said stem and controlling said rst port, a spring urging said sldably mounted valve along the stem toward said rst port, a weighted member on the stem tending to move said firstnamed valve member toward the other of said ports under the action of centrifugal force, and an abutment on the stem engaging said sldably mounted valve member to move the latter away from its seat against the action of said spring.

2. Means for inating the bladder of an aviators suit, or the like, comprising a valve casing having a chamber provided with an inlet port and a pair of aligned outlet ports, a valve stem sldably mounted in the casing and extending into the chamber through one of said ports, a valve carried by said stem to control the other of said ports, a second valve sldably mounted on said stem and controlling said first port, a spring urging said sldably mounted valve along the stem toward said first port, a weighted member on the stem tending to move said first-named valve member toward the other of said ports under the action of centrifugal force, and an abutment on the stem engaging said sldably mounted valve member to move the latter away from its seat against the action of said spring, and a second spring acting on said stem in opposition to said weighted member.

3. Means for inflating the bladder of an aviators suit, or the like, comprising a valve casing having a chamber provided with an inlet port and a pair of aligned outlet ports, a valve stem sldably mounted in the casing and extending into the chamber through one of said ports, a valve carried by said stem to control the other of said ports, a second valve sldably mounted on said stem and controlling said first port, a spring urging said sldably mounted valve kalong the stem toward said rst port, a Weighted member on the stem tending to move said first-named valve member toward the other of said ports under the action of centrifugal force, a duct connected to one of said ports adapted to convey fluid from the chamber to the bladder.

4. Means for inflating the bladder of an aviators suit, or the like, comprising a valve casing having a chamber provided with an inlet port and a pair of aligned outlet ports, a valve stem sldably mounted in the casing and extending into the chamber through one of said ports, a valve carried by said stem to control the other of said ports, a second valve sldably mounted on said stem and controlling said first port, a spring urging said sldably mounted valve along the stem toward said first port, a weighted member on the stem tending to move said first-named valve member toward the other of said ports under the action of centrifugal force, a second chamber in communication with the rst chamber through one of said ports, a duct leading from said second chamber adapted to convey iiuid to the bladder.

IRVING R. VERSO-Y.

REFERENCES CITED The following references` are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 529,739 Long Nov. 27, 1894 616,197 Moller Dec. 20, 1898 876,274 Kintner Jan. 7, 1908 1,297,193 Levinsen Mar. 11, 1919 2,152,084 Paine Mar. 28, 1939 2,159,785 Down May 23, 1939 2,163,731 Hallot June 27, 1939 2,222,886 Voigt Nov. 26, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 31,552 Norway of 1921 640,848 Germany of 1937 

